Paige StrandWe remember the 2010 film “Despicable Me” for its humor and thoughtfulness, but more importantly, the animated favorite introduced us to the craze that is now the minions franchise. Intentionally designed as flat characters at first, the minions have a greater international following than any of the main characters in the film series, by far. So why the fascination?
It is undeniable that the minions have everyone’s hearts, as they dominated the box office recently with their own release, and have also been the subject of several successful merchandise campaigns.
While marketing these lovable characters to children was sure to be effective, adults have also become infatuated, as the Pantone Institute of Color just created ‘Minion Yellow,’ in case you weren’t satisfied with ‘Daffodil Yellow’ or ‘Radiant Yellow’. With all mockery aside, this is actually the first color ever to be named after a film character by the institute, indicating the minions’ impressive cultural influence. The world renowned authority on color systems describes it as “the color of hope, joy and optimism,” which expands into how the characters have such a cult following.
The truth is, minions are everything we want ourselves to be- light, loyal, and most of all, honest. Research in Consumer Behavior suggests that the human desire for instant gratification is rewarded in watching jubilant content like the ‘Minions’ film, as individuals that see similarities in the characters cognitively decompose the barrier that separates them, resulting in a ‘feel good’ atmosphere. This is likely why the child-like behavior bodes so well with us, as it unearths those qualities in ourselves. While they remind us of youthful innocence, they also remind us of a deeper reality; the quirky characters also possess negative qualities, indicating a shade of realism in that they are imperfect. We readily identify with them as they make hasty mistakes, engage in mischief and on occasion, become frustrated by the actions of others. They remind us that even the most lovable beings inevitably have a flaw or two, and that is adequate.
In enlightening the audience of the goodness that is within each of us, while also enforcing the positive message that imperfection can be adorable, the minion crew is unavoidably an icon in popular culture. Don’t believe us? Then prepare to be in awe of the thousands of minion-inspired creations you find under #minions on your favorite social media app.
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